Elevated railway.



N0. 799,908. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.`

D. HUMPHREY. ELEVATED RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1904.

4W/TNESSES: QQ IN VEN TOR.

l DAV/D HUMPHREY MMM gyn/,zr j

uNiTEn STATES PATENT oEEicE.

DAVID HIIMPHREY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed May 18, 1904. Serial No. 208,542.

' have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevated Railways; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains v 5 by means of T-joints and to said posts lower to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a certain novel and useful improvement in elevated railways, all substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure 1 is a kperspective view of a section or span of the railway and of car mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of one of the tracks or railswith a cross-section of a supporting-arm therefor. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view of the elevated structure adapted to accommodate two cars on each side, one above the other, whereas in Fig. 1 provision is made for only two cars, one on each side.

Referring now to the accompanying drawi ded in cement or other sustaining material to y make them permanently rigid and having flanges or collars 6 about their base to more perfectly steady their position, if possible.- The said posts are preferably formed of a plurality of relatively large tubular sections united at their adjacent ends by means of collars 7, and each of said collars is provided with a plurality of tubular threaded sockets 8 of varying angle about its side and designed to receive portions of the rail-supporting braces or brackets, as will now appear. Thus threaded in certain of the sockets 8 are horizontal track-supporting arms 9, which as to the lower arms are in turn supported from beneath `by inclined braces 10, engaged with the ends of said arms by suitable joints secured to standard A by threading into certain of the sockets 8 upon' collar 7 below said arm. The upper of the several sets of horizontal arms 9 are braced and connected through the medium of downwardly -inclined bracket-arms 1 1, en-

gaged in suitable joints on the outer ends of arms 9 and at the other end in sockets 8 on collar 7. rIhe entire structure is further braced and supported by a span mechanism between the successive posts comprising lower struts and upper struts connecting the posts 5 in spans about thirty feet long, said struts comprising certain tubular parts hereinafter fully described, and connected with theI top of posts down by means of the sleeves 7. Now the struts thus referred to comprise tubes or bars 13 and lt, which may be more particularly defined as inwardly and downwardly inclined supporting-tubes in parallel planes of forty-five- Vdegrees inclination and at successive elevations. The upper and lower arms 95L and 9b for supporting tracks a between posts, vertical tubes 15 connecting arms 9L and 9D centrally, and central longitudinal connectingtubes 13' and 14. between the lower ends of inclined tubes 13 and 14 above and below and parallel to each other and with tracks a, but at right angles to vertical tubes 15. The tracks a are supported from or upon the eX- tremities'of arms 9 and 9h between posts as they are upon arms 9 at the posts, and the constructionof the span necessarily is such as will hold the tracks firmly on the same level in the spans as with the posts. This, however, has to be done with provision or allowance for contraction or expansion with the change of seasons or current changes in temperature, and hence the novel construction ofspans, as shown,to accommodate such changes and at the same time build a span or strut which cannot sag and will bear all strain coming upon it for an indefinite period. rI'he forty-ve-degree angle of tubes 13 and 14 is particularly advantageous to give and take contractions and expansions without showing in the level of the spans, and the bridging of l 'upper and a lower rail constitute a track for IOO tion 17, sleeved over 16, and the outer sections are slightly spaced apart at their ends to make room for T-collars 18, sleeved over pipe 16 and serving as the immediate supports of rails or tra'cks a and which are flush with outer tubes or pipes 17. The said collars 18 have portions 19 threaded or otherwise secured upon the extreme ends of arms 9, 9, and 9b. Another inner tube 16 may also be used, if desired, the same to be so arranged as to break joints with the sections 16 and 17, thus making the track three thicknesses deep. The arms 9, 9, and 9bmay one or all have flat steel reinforcing-strips set centrally therein to increase their strength.

All the central supporting posts A are equipped with lateral arms 9 in the manner substantially as shown and described and for one or more lines of cars at each side. The

said arms have their own braces or supports self to all the various details of construction` shown, as there may be modifications and variations with regard to details without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacri- [icing any of the advantages thereof.

Now there are a number of advantages peculiar to my construction of road which are not known to exist in any other road familiar to me and which give it especial value both for city and outlying traiiic. For example, it is possible by this construction to build an elevated structure which will stand perfectly rigid and which needs no special provision for expansion and contraction in its framework and track and has tight joints in all temperatures.

Second. The construction of struts with forty-ive-degree hangers'and rectangular middle frames accommodate temperature changes and furnish a resistance both ways, up and down. Each such span has eleven squares or parallelograms, which are a source of great rigidity.

Third. My form of structure occupies the minimum of surface-room possible in an elevated road and being tubular throughout obscures light less and is less objectionable to the eye than any other known to me.

Fourth. Thereis no expense of maintenance by reason of the tubes being permanently built together with no portion to wear out.

Fifth. The close-jointed double or triple tu- Each rail is formed,preferably, of an inner pipe 16 and an outer vpipe or pipe-secbular track makes it possible to use concave rubber tires on the wheels, thus insuring' a noiseless traflic.

Sixth. Almost any rapid rate of speed may be attained with perfect safety-say a rate of three hundred miles per hour-because the tubular make-up of the structure eliminates or reduces to a minimum frictional resist-ance between the structure and the car. This also enables me to carry the loads with very much less expenditure of energy than would be required with a framework of squares and angles to retard the progress of the car.

It will be noticed that all parts of the strutsf7 so called, are in the same vertical plane, the same comprising the several parts indicated by 13, 14, 13, 14', and 15, while all the supports for the tracks or rails associated with the posts are at right angles to the struts and likewise in the same vertical plane. These comprise the arms 9 and braces 10 and 11.

What I claim is- 1. In elevated railways, a series of posts and spans between posts comprising a plurality of parallel inwardly and downwardly inclined tubes and a center portion between said tubes of rectangular outline and in the same vertical plane therewith, substantially as described.

2. In elevated railways, a series of tubular posts and spans connecting said posts comprising each a plurality of parallel inwardly and downwardly inclined tubes at each end of the span and a rectangular central portion with which said tubes connect at its top and bottom respectively, and rail-supporting cross-arms connected with said rectangular portion at its top and bottom, substantially as described.

3. In an elevated railway, a series of posts provided with collars at intervals and spans connecting said posts through said collars, and comprising a plurality of parallel tubes extending inwardly and downwardly from each post at an angle of substantiallyforty-live degrees, and a central rectangular frame at the inner ends of said tubes and in the same vertical plane therewith,crossarms engaged with each corner of said central frame above and below and car-tracks supported on said crossarms, substantially as described.

4. An elevated railway comprising sectional tubular posts and collars about the joints of said posts having sockets at their sides, struts connecting said posts comprising parallel inclined tubes at different elevations engaged in said sockets and a rectangular frame having said tubes connected with the four several corners thereof, cross-arms extending laterally at both sides from the four corners of said frame, and from collars on said posts, and tracks for the cars carried by the said several cross-arms at and between the posts, substantially as described.

5. In an elevated railway, the combination of a series of posts formed each of coupled tubular sections, tubular arms extending lat- IDO IIO

erally from said posts, tubular braces supporting the ends of said arms and tubular track-rails supported said arms, the said arms and braces and rails being 'connectedby T-joints on the ends of said arms, substantially as described.

6. In an elevated-railway system, the combination oi' a plurality of posts, each post being formed of tubular sections and occupying connecting adjacent ends of said Sections provided with sockets in their sides, tubular railsupporting arms threaded in certain of said sockets, and braces for said arms engaged in said sockets, and longitudinal struts connecting said posts having their ends threaded in certain of said sockets, substantially as described.

7. In an elevated railway, the combination of vertical posts, a plurality of laterallyreX- tending arms carried thereby at different elevations, supports from the posts at the outer end of each of said arms for the track-rails,

and track-rails comprising a tubular inner portion and sleeve members incasing said inner portion, the adjacent ends of said sleeve members being spaced apart and the said supports for the track-rails occupying the space between said sleeve members and flush therewith, substantially as described.

8. In railways, a rail consisting of a plurality of tubes sleeved one over the other, in combination with a support for the rail comprising a cross-arm at right angles to the rail and a substantially T-shaped support for the rail thereon, said support having a sleeve through which the rail extends and the outer tubes of the rail abutting against its opposite edges and ush tberewith,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence oi two witnesses.

DAVID HUMPHREY.

Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, C. A. SELL. 

